Re: [[css3-layout]] Accessibility issues and layout

On Friday 21 July 2006 23:47, Patrick H. Lauke wrote:
> karl@w3.org wrote:
> > Hi,
> > This is a QA Review comment for "CSS3 Advanced Layout Module"
> > http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/WD-css3-layout-20051215/
> > 2005-12-15
> > 1st WD
> >
> > About http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/WD-css3-layout-20051215/
> >
> > We don't know if the WG has made the request for an accessibility
> > review,

Not yet, but it is customary that the WAI PF WG does at least one review 
of each CSS spec, at some appropriate time.

> > but we were wondering if it could cause any accessibility 
> > problems. as reordering the flow of information inside the file and
> > rendered on screen. If not done, please coordinate with WAI.
>
> Not sure if we're meant to comment on this,

Sure, that's what this mailing list is for.

> but I'd say: it doesn't 
> cause an accessibility issue, *unless* the author is relying on a
> particular visual positioning to suggest or create a relationship
> necessary to the understanding of the content, but which is not
> present in the original document itself (i.e. it doesn't make sense,
> or has a different meaning altogether, with styles turned off).

Right. Like many things in CSS, you can abuse the feature to make 
documents that can only be read with the proper style sheet. (I can 
imagine a secret message hidden in a public document that can only be 
read by somebody who possesses the right style sheet...)

But the primary purpose is to make documents *more* accessible: you can 
order the source elements in the most logical way for narrow screens or 
sequential (non-visual) rendering and still make optimal use of the 
2-dimensional space provided by large screens. Indeed, in combination 
with Media Queries, you can very easily make 2-dimensional layouts 
optimized for screens of different sizes.



Bert
-- 
  Bert Bos                                ( W 3 C ) http://www.w3.org/
  http://www.w3.org/people/bos                               W3C/ERCIM
  bert@w3.org                             2004 Rt des Lucioles / BP 93
  +33 (0)4 92 38 76 92            06902 Sophia Antipolis Cedex, France

Received on Monday, 24 July 2006 19:01:31 UTC